The Geriatric Depression Scale and Hopelessness Index: longitudinal psychometric data on frail nursing home residents

We administered the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Hopelessness Index 18 times over a 39-wk. period to an initial sample of 76 old, frail, multiply impaired, and depressed nursing home residents participating in a longitudinal quasi-experimental study on the effects of cognitive group interventions on cognition, depression, hopelessness, and life satisfaction. As no changes over time were observed on the outcome variables of geriatric depression and hopelessness, the stability of the instruments' internal consistency was examined longitudinally. For the Geriatric Depression Scale, Kuder-Richardson KR-20 coefficients ranged from .69 to .88, with a mean of .82 ( SD = .05). Coefficients for the Hopelessness Index were between .72 and .86, with a mean of .80 ( SD = .04). We conclude that both instruments give reliable measurements of geriatric depression and hopelessness in old, frail, and depressed nursing home residents.